Milk and Cookies
with Linda and Kristen
Milk and Cookies is a savory web venue for cool products, useful tips, and idea-sharing, prepared especially for busy moms like you. From the must-haves to avoid-at-all-costs, we're dishing out tools for a delicious life balance.
Visit Linda's fitness site at Bodies in Motivation and check out Kristen's blog at Swistle.blogspot.com
We had to do some major preparations house-wise to make room for a second child, but I really didn’t have to buy much — unlike the first time around, when I spent months on end pouring an endless stream of money into Amazon’s baby section. I was so paranoid I was going to forget some crucial item that would make the difference between a contented baby and a colicky nonstop screamer, as if clicking the Buy button was some kind of MAGIC WAND.
I kept pretty much everything we used from when Riley was a baby, with the exception of a few utterly useless items that I gave away. If you don’t mind veering from our normal blog M.O. of finding things that DON’T suck, here’s a rundown of baby gear I never did understand:
Infant bathrobes. Okay, I know they’re cute as hell, but have you ever seriously put one on a baby after their bath? I bet not. They’re not really long enough to keep their legs warm, and what’s the use of wrestling an infant into one outfit only to immediately put them in their PJs or whatever?
Wipe warmers. So I get the concept here, and I do realize that the wipes I pull out of the container and use on my newborn’s butt are kind of chilly sometimes, but they aren’t exactly COATED IN ICE. If you crumple a wipe in your hand for a second and blow on it, poof, it’s no longer chilly. Much easier than a fandangled electric gizmo that probably dries out half your wipe inventory.
Bottle warmers. I bought one of these and never used it once. Sure, I could put my bottle in a gadget that requires an outlet and ongoing maintenance, or I could, you know, walk fifteen feet to the kitchen and warm it. Maybe this is more useful for households far bigger than my own.
Infant sweaters. Some baby sweaters just aren’t worth the bother. They’re adorable, but you have to fuss with a bunch of buttons, only to scrape milk-barf out of the collar two minutes after you get them on. (And if it’s not machine washable, FORGET IT.)
What about you, which baby items did you find to be a waste of money?
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I think the baby bathrobe idea works better in a hot country! Amy has worn hers since she could stand up, its just so much easier to stand her up on the bathmat, put her robe on, pull up the hood and then release her. She runs around and dries at the same time rather than me having to manhandle her in a towel and try to keep her still and dry her at the same time. It has been such a useful item that we even bought two more for friends on request recently in London!
Super Sarah | February 20th, 2008 at 9:17 pm
BWAHAHA.. okay, a new mom and I were JUST griping about all of the stupid shit you get at baby showers and never use. (My complaint lies with bibs, which I have exactly eighteen thousand of.. for my two month old.)
Anyway, honestly? A bassinet makes my list. Everyone I knew (granted, we’re in the south) asked me if/when I was going to get mine. The child has a crib. He has a pack ‘n play. Hell, we have a bureau with drawers in it. He’s got TONS of places to sleep.
Sarah | February 20th, 2008 at 9:32 pm
My friend and I were just making fun of baby cardigans the other day. As for me, I’ve never used my boppy to actually nurse. I have used it help prop my babies up to sit before the bumbo existed.
As for bibs - if you ever end up with a baby that spits up non stop, you’ll have a newfound appreciation for them.
Kristie McNealy | February 21st, 2008 at 12:26 am
OMG these items are EXACTLY what I would put on my useless baby item list! I couldn’t agree more. I had all of these things except the bathrobe and did not use them once. The only reason I didn’t get the bathrobe was because my mom knew it would be useless and talked me out of it!
KBeach | February 21st, 2008 at 12:47 am
Knitted baby blankets. They’re too fuzzy and holey to use, and they often don’t fare well in the washing machine.
Swistle | February 21st, 2008 at 12:52 am
Baby powder and creams…I got the whole Burt’s Bee’s baby line and never really used any of it. Babies are soft and sweet and don’t really need al the foo-foo stuff. When my friends have babies I always tell them to skip it, save the money and buy a tube of A&D ointment for bum and face rashes. It’s less messy and no white residue.
amber | February 21st, 2008 at 4:33 am
Agree about the bathrobe (!), bottle warmer and sweaters. Also about the knitted baby blankets and baby powders, creams and soaps.
But… five years later I’m still using my wipes warmer. I just add a bit of water when the wipes start to get dry… and my babies seemed to like the warm wipes. I know I’m in the minority here.
I never used my two baby food grinders. Ever. If my babies were going to eat what I was eating I just mashed it up with a fork.
Laughing Mommy | February 21st, 2008 at 5:32 am
Funny, yesterday I got a new issue of Parents magazine and in it was that exact same bottle warmer, and they were raving about it. I got a good chuckle.
Eric's Mommy | February 21st, 2008 at 12:18 pm
I’m not a mom yet, but when registering I came across a lot of stuff I thought was really dumb. All your stuff makes the list. And I totally agree with the bassinet/moses basket thing. So, will they outgrow that in one week or two? Waste of space and money IMO. I didn’t register for the wipes warmer because my rationale is: I can only warm the wipes when I’m at home. When we’re out, then what? So his little butt will just have to deal
samantha jo campen | February 21st, 2008 at 3:33 pm
I am harking back more than a decade here now, but the thing that I was most excited about using was also the most disappointing - the nappy disposal thingy (diaper genie?) that looks like an anaemic Dalek. All it does is make you end up with squished and exploded nappies in a smelly corner of the nursery rather than being sensible and just throwing them in the outside dustbin!
Sally | February 21st, 2008 at 4:40 pm
haha i agree with all of these! so much out there is very useless! i think the robes are great once the kid is walking easily - but an infant? silly!
and actually, since everyone says ‘nothing in the crib’ why do they still sell bumpers? do people use them?
stuffed animals are also somewhat useless for new borns, but really are so cute
cute sells a lot of crap hahaha!
Kate | February 21st, 2008 at 5:18 pm
It’s so difficult, because as a first time mom, you just don’t *know* what is useless and what is not (unless you come here and read of course!).
I only warmed the bottles under the faucet and then my mom started giving them to the baby at room temperature (something about the decibal level!) and it’s great. I fed William squoosy steamed zucchini from the fridge yesterday and he ate it right up.
Bottle sterilizers - I still didn’t quite get why they weren’t necessary - I hand washed (still do) all the bottles, and I understand that’s good enough, but I must admit I did/do worry that it isn’t enough. Must be though.
Decorating the nursery - something that I thought would be very important, didn’t really get around to it, and seems there was no point as his crib is now in our room and he is now in our bed. The nursery is more of a play room at the moment!
Exersaucer - while fabulous for the 3 seconds it was used, it sure did go through its life expectancy fast (luckily purchased used).
Knitted cardigans - yes, but that one made me sad because my grandma knitted one for the baby. And he only wore it once (for a photo to show he was wearing it). But I’ll keep it forever.
Oh, baby gowns. Thought these would be fabulous, but they weren’t. bunched up and impossible to get on/off. I ended up using the freebie hospital ‘dresses’ that snap up. Snazzy!
Sarah | February 21st, 2008 at 6:52 pm
Tiny shoes! They’re soo sweet, but my advice to a new mom would be that most of their baby’s footwear needs can be filled by a pair of robeez until they’re pretty steady on their feet, then a pair of crocs. Dress shoes are sweet, but I could never keep them on mine even long enough for the photo op.
katkins | February 22nd, 2008 at 5:47 am
Apart from anything else you say (and some I agree - some I don’t) the most useless thing is all those baby designer clothes that although they “may” look cute and the kid “may” look cute in them,
(a) cost almost a month’s income,
(b) most of the times they need dry cleaning (!!!),
(c) if they don’t and you can put them in the washing machine, it is impossible to iron them,
(d) 3 out of 4 times if you manage to iron them you find out that they start to wear out…
My mil keeps on buying them to my kids (especially my daughter) and they keep on haunting their closets, and then she gets upset we don’t use them. I mean what’s the point of having a Ralph Lauren polo for a 3-months old, or a Burberry’s dress for a 3-years old?
Anya | February 22nd, 2008 at 8:15 am
I was lucky enough to register w/my friend (who I have nicknamed the Mama Guru - she is the mother of three (11, 8, and 3) and my idol) in tow or was she towing me since I was freaking out at Babies-r-us. As the doctor said time to focus on the fact that I was finally pregnant. Anyway, no to the wipes warmer or bottle warmer - why create false expectations for the child especially when they would be traveling. As punkin muffin was a winter baby - I thought cardigans were great - of course it may be because I actually used all the bibs in the house on a daily basis. I love my Diaper Champ - it uses regular garbage bags (we have a two story house and I would possibly be the only person who would walk a smelly diaper downstairs to the garage). The toweling robe worked great as a pool wrap in the summer however otherwise it is a no go. I also could not have survived the first few months without the babypapsan vibrating seat - and the batteries to go with it. However, the item that I am unable to do without is what we call the Diaper duck - a duck that holds blue plastic bags to place used diapers in when out and about - especially the in laws. (I will recycle anything possible to make up for using those bags constantly - they eliminate the smell) Also, it doubles as a toy for distraction during diaper changes when traveling.
I was lucky enough to use an antique cradle for the first three months to avoid the trek to the nursery however, I am sure I wouldn’t have ever bought a bassinet.
I also swear by the bundle me from JJ Cole since it was 10 degrees when my baby was about a month old.
Good Luck - I admire anyone taking on the challenge and joy again.
Heather | February 22nd, 2008 at 2:37 pm
At my baby shower for my 2nd child someone gave me a wipe warmer and I had to stop myself from laughing at them. Why in the world does any child need a warm wipe at home? All it does is spoil them for the inevitable time when you are out of the house an the baby has one of the diapers that nightmares are made of. That warmer doesn’t come with you in the diaper bag! Can you imagine the scream from that poor child who has lived for months of warmth on their bottom! Lets let the reality of life hit this kid right from the get go, at least if only in this small instance.
Kellyann Carney | February 23rd, 2008 at 3:19 am
I totally agree with all items, but ESPECIALLY the robe. We have gotten a couple with both babies, and they just sit in the closet. The joke is, try finding a robe for a 2-year-old, who might actually use it. Impossible - no one makes robes for 2-year-olds, at least not for under $30 or so. Amazing.
LT | February 26th, 2008 at 1:51 am